A Second Chance? (Sal Fisher x Travis Phelps)

II

I woke up in my bed. I was cold. I opened my eyes and saw that i didn't have a blanket anymore. I check on the floor in case i might have thrown in off me during my sleep but it was nowhere to be found. Someone must've took it. I got up from bed and changed into my usual clothes for this time of year. Grey socks, green shorts and a purple sweater. The sweater's colour reminded me of my mother. It was her favourite colour and she would wear different clothes in that specific colour. She was always so happy and pretty, I don't know why she left us. When i was done changing i walked down the stairs. To my surprise Kenneth was standing in the hall. I took a quick look at him and saw he was holding my blanket with his arm. He saw me walk down the stairs and said "there you are you fucking prick, don't think about sleeping when i know you're going around to kiss men!". I should've expected something like that to come out of his mouth .I took a step back making the distance between me and him bigger "what do you mean?". I regretted asking that the second i did. "Did you think i wouldn't find out?!" His voice got louder "you're lucky i have to leave now, but once i come home you're dead! Got it fag?!" After that he left the house with my blanket. I brushed it off and entered the kitchen. I checked the trash can to see if there was any new newspapers in it, nothing. I guess Kenneth either took it or there wasn't a new one today.

I opened the fridge and took a can of milk out. I would just eat cereal today since i really didn't want to make something fancy right now. I grabbed a bowl from the cabinet and  filled it with the little cereal we had left. It was just enough to fur fill my hunger. While eating i took a look at the clock. It said 10:45. Good, i have time left to pray before i go to Sal's trial. I finished the bowl of cereal and knew i needed to clean it. Kenneth would always make me do all the dishes even though we had a dishwasher. He says God gives us food so we should clean our plates and silver wear as a thanks. Honestly now that i'm thinking back at that, it sounds fucking stupid. But i knew damn well not to speak to him about it. I walked to the sink, turned the water on and held the bowl under it. I used some soap made for cleaning dishes to clean the bowl thoroughly. Quickly foam started form and i rinsed it off with the running water. Once i was satisfied with the cleaning i turned off the water. I used a towel to dry the bowl, and after i put it back in the cabinet where i originally got it from. I took a look at the clock and realised i only had 20 minutes left before Sal's trial would start. "Shit!" I ran out the kitchen, put my shoes on and then rushed out the door, skipping the time i would pray.

I arrived at the courtroom just in time. The people who would check who you were before you could enter the room, didn't ask me anything. Normally i would question it but Sal was more important to me at the moment. I stepped in courtroom and Saw Sal standing next to a guy who seemed to be the jury. Sal had his hair down. It was new, well for me it was. I haven't seen Sal since we graduated and i can't say i wasn't happy to see him again. While walking into the room i saw Ash sitting next to Maple. Ash gave me a surprised but asserting look, i just gave her a smile. I also happened to see Neil sitting in the second row on the right. I knew him from high school as well, i'm pretty sure he was some years older and dating Todd. Speaking of Todd, i wondered where he was. I sat down in the front row on the left of the courtroom. The jury walked up to the middle top. Sal was standing next to him on a lower platform. The jury caught everyone's attention and then he spoke "Welcome to Sal fisher trial, today Sal will tell us about his actions and defend himself about the situation. Now Sal fisher, you may begin. Why did you kill those people?".

SAL'S POV

Shit i didn't think he would ask that right away. My stress rose when i answered "I had no choice, your honour, i had to kill them". I looked around the courtroom for any reaction and saw Ash smiling at me with Maple next to her. Neil was sitting in the other row. Wait, is that Travis? I was shocked to see him here, i was concerned. Imagine the trouble he would get in if his dad found out. My thoughts were interrupted when i heard the jury speak again. "So, when you say you had no choice, what does that mean exactly?" He asked with his firm voice. In response i said "i had no choice". The question was difficult to answer because only my therapist and friends knew about everything that happened in the apartments. Yet again, if i told them nobody would believe me. I couldn't believe it myself when i first saw the red-eye demon, so its impossible for people to believe everything after that. "Were you forced?" Asked the jury. "No, i wasn't. But i didn't have a choice". I was getting annoyed by this guy asking me the same type questions over and over again. "So what caused you to do this? Were you under the influence? Or are you mentally unstable?". Before i could answer someone in the courtroom raised their hand. It was Ash. "Young lady." The jury nodded giving her the sign to speak. Ash stood up and said "Sal never drank, your honour, he barely touched the stuff. When i got at the apartments, Sal wasn't drunk or high." Then she sat back down. The jury turned to me "is this correct?". I was happy to see Ash was still trying to help me. "Yes your honour, that is correct." "Now, Dr.Enon. you are Sal's therapist, am i right?". Dr.Enon, my therapist was a odd guy really, but not weird enough for me to hate going to therapy. I can say i enjoyed talking about my experienced, but not all. Some of them are... unsettling, to put it lightly. "Yes, i am Sal's therapist." Dr.Enon said. The jury spoke again "does Sal have any mental issues? Some that may have resulted in him doing the action he has done?" The question made me stressed. Of course i was mentally ill, there were enough reasons for it. "Sal does have depression. Its heavily due to his mother death. Which he had experienced at a young age. Although i have seen it become worse these last weeks.". I could see the expression in the courtroom change from sad and concerned to anger. Even Travis seemed to form a hatred towards Dr.Enon. "Sal, is this true?" The jury asked. I just nodded in response. "Now, Sal you'll have to tell us your story so we can understand your reason the best. Can you do that for us?". I could see Ash wanting to say something but Maple pulled her back into her seat. "Yes i can, your honour."

TRAVIS'S POV

Sal started talking about the apartments. It started off normal with him talking about how he met Larry and the rest of the tenants. "That's when i saw it, in Larry's kitchen. It was a dark man like figure, with a skeleton type face. But the worst part were his piercing Red eyes." Holy shit. I have read about a phenomenon like that in the bible Kenneth gave me. It sounded just like it. Sal continues speaking. "Larry and i had later found out it was the ghost of Luke Holmes. When i was investigating Luke's place of death in the apartments, the demon attack me. Luckily Larry saved me by using the Super gear boy, which had been made by my friend, Todd Morrison. We thought it was gone until..." Sal stopped speaking, leaving everyone in the courtroom interested. "Until what, Sal?". I could tell it was a difficult subject for Sal. "Until it possessed Todd." The courtroom was filled with questioning silence. "When u say possessed, you mean that the "Red-eyed demon" took over your friend Todd's body?". Sal turned to the journalist who was standing on the side of the room. She spoke "I've checked up on Todd for some time now, he's been showing sign's of suicidal thoughts and immense aggression towards the doctors. He is currently in an isolated room in Nockfell's hospital. Some doctor quit working there once Todd was put in that hospital." The jury looked back at Sal and asked if this is correct. "I don't know if it is correct, i haven't seen Todd since the police took me away. But he did talk about dying and his eyes, they weren't normal anymore" Sal said. Kenneth had told me about Todd and how i should avoid him the most. I've always thought it was because he was gay, but i now know the exact reason. It made me mad, Kenneth not telling me truth. I started to wonder what else he lied to me about, besides all the homophobic comments. The jury's voice startled me. "You had a brother right? Do you know what happened to him?". I knew what happened to Larry, I can't help but feel sorry for Sal. "I.. i don't want to talk about that, if i may". The jury's voice sounded a bit annoyed when he spoke again "Now, Sal. If you want to have your best at getting out of this you're going to have to tell us everything, do you understand?" Sal tilted his head down before speaking again. "He killed himself, your honour.". The way Sal spoke made me tear up a bit. "So sorry to hear that Sal. Do you know the reason for his suicide?". Sal responded "Larry always seemed happy. Well as happy as an fatherless son could get. He told me about how the apartment's were making him feel something. I swear he wasn't depressed, it was the cult that made Larry do it.". Sal sounded so sad. "This cult? Do u know where it resides?" The jury asked. Sal looked over at me and i nodded to him, giving him the sign that i am okay with him talking about my last name. "Phelps ministry, your honour." I could feel Ash's eyes on me when Sal finished speaking. I couldn't help but feel guilty about everything that has happened to Sal. He didn't deserve all this. "I see, we happen to have Travis Phelps in the room with us. What was or is he to you?" The jury asked. I froze in place. Sal gave me a look. "Travis was my bully in high school, but i know he never meant anything he said towards me and my friends. I know it may sound weird but i've always thought of him as a friend." Oh my god Sal stop, i'm going to cry. Suddenly the jury turned to me. "Young man, why did you bully Sal fisher?" He asked. I started to mumble. This wasn't good, i can't lie in a courtroom can i? I was stressing. "Well?" The jury asked again. "I um, my father made me". Shit i shouldn't have said that. Now i'm dead. Kenneth will kill me if he finds out i was telling people of the law about my home situation. "Your dad is a priest am i right?". I just nodded in response to his question. " What did he do that forced you to be mean to Sal and his friends through high school?". I didn't want to answer. Before i could say anything i could hear Sal's voice speak "Kenneth Phelps is the reason for all my doings and the suffering of all the people in Nockfell." The courtroom fell silent. "Sal?" I asked, not knowing i wasn't allowed to speak. "Yes Travis?" He asked. "Are you... are you sure that he is behind it?" My voice was shaky and i could tell that Sal regretted talking about Kenneth. "Yes, he is also the reason for my mother's death." I couldn't tell if Sal was okay with talking right now. The jury took over the conversation by saying "will it be okay if the police will check up on your father, Travis Phelps?" I didn't know what to say but when i saw Sal nod to me i knew everything was going to be okay. "Yes, that would be okay, your honour."